Amid the most intense military assault on Iran since the 1980s, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has moved into a fortified bunker and quietly named successors both within Iran’s military command and religious leadership.

According to three senior Iranian officials familiar with his emergency wartime plans, the decision comes after a week of relentless Israeli strikes on Tehran, prompting Khamenei to suspend most electronic communications and speak to military commanders only through a trusted aide, for fear of assassination.

The unprecedented Israeli attack—triggered by escalating regional tensions, has already claimed several of Iran’s high-ranking officers. In response, Khamenei has pre-designated replacements down the chain of command to maintain operational control in case of further losses.

More significantly, in what officials call a historic step, the Supreme Leader has identified three senior clerics who could potentially succeed him if he is killed, signaling a rare public glimpse into succession planning at the highest levels of the Islamic Republic.

The scale and ferocity of the Israeli offensive have deeply rattled Tehran. Officials report that in just days, Israeli airstrikes have inflicted more destruction on the capital than Iraq managed over eight years during the Iran-Iraq War.

Key infrastructure, including a hospital, religious buildings, homes, and the Haifa oil refinery, have reportedly been struck in Israel’s retaliatory strikes, drawing outrage and escalating calls for sustained counterattacks.

In response, Iran has reorganized quickly, launching daily counterstrikes on Israeli targets, despite initial chaos. While the Supreme Leader remains physically hidden, his directives have taken on renewed urgency. Analysts say Khamenei’s quiet succession planning and crisis-mode leadership reflect both the volatility of the current war and the increasingly fragile state of his 35-year hold on power.